Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro is yet to confirm his next step after he said in parliament that it is his intention to try and resolve the issues that has been raised and the welfare of the Fijian staff and concerns by calling a special meeting of the University of the South Pacific to address the issues that has been highlighted regarding termination and strike threats.
Radrodro confirms he has briefed the Prime Minister on the various issues pertaining to USP and together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad and maybe with the Minister for Employment, Agni Deo Singh, they will be convening a meeting and thereafter requesting a Special Council Meeting as it is his intention to resolve the many cases in particular the welfare and concerns of the Fijian staff.
Radrodro says he has also taken into account the advice by the Minister that they respect the Prime Minister and all other member countries of the USP Council and to ensure the smooth running of USP with the teachers and students welfare also taken seriously to achieve a healthy environment of learning and employment.
Radrodro stresses the coalition government is committed to ensuring the welfare and concerns of our Fijian staff at USP are adequately addressed and represented at the Council.
He says the government is aware of the concerns raised given that USP has around 75 percent of staff who are Fiji citizens working at the University.
Radrodro says there are a lot of issues that have been raised, in particular the strike threat that has been addressed.
Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu had stopped further questions from Opposition MP, Hem Chand as he said that this is a very sensitive case, and this will get out of hand because the media may be able to twist things around considering how sensitive the case is.
